Wednesday, July 31, 2013

After visiting the Watts Towers, my brother-in-law and I continued south to San Pedro, the port area of Los Angeles. Here, we'd see the Korean Bell of Friendship as well as the exterior of Point Fermin Light. Here are the pics:

San Pedro has always been a working-class, harbor neighborhood, and this house across from the Korean Bell reflects both qualities.

The Korean Bell of Friendship is set in Angel's Gate Park, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

It was a very nice Friday in San Pedro, and many other tourists were here (the parking lot was entirely full).

The bell was given by the South Korean government on the occasion of the U.S. bicentennial in 1976.

A very unusual totem...

Enjoy the rest of these Korean Bell photos...

I admired the forethought of this trio of ladies, who couldn't have picked a better spot for a picnic.

Paparazzi alert! Kristen Stewart's new film Camp X-Ray was being filmed at the barracks behind the Korean Bell.

We didn't spot Stewart or anyone else, though we did linger for a few minutes just to see if the paparazzi would have a field day.

Time to leave the Korean Bell, and head downhill to...

Point Fermin Park, home of the Point Fermin Light.

That's the Light, behind the tree.

Nice cliffs.

Cool cement artwork.

Point Fermin Light, built in 1874 (refurbished for its 100th anniversary in 1974).

Right after Pearl Harbor, the light was extinguished so Japanese / enemy planes wouldn't have a beacon to attack.

Police helicopter...

Cool sky!

Port of Los Angeles

Kinda moody looking out to sea...

Time to leave San Pedro and head back to Glendale, to get ready for a wedding rehearsal in Pasadena. Stay tuned.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

On Friday before the wedding rehearsal, my brother-in-law (who had the day off from work) went with me to see the Watts Towers and the Korean Bell Monument at San Pedro. I had always wanted to see the Watts Towers, and my brother-in-law, who had never been before, was also intrigued. They were designed and built by Simon Rodia (b. 1879, d. 1965) on the site of his own home (since burnt down), without the use of proper ladders. That's astonishing, considering the structures are as high as 99 feet (there were laws prohibiting 100 foot structures) and he was not a young man during much of the building. Additionally, he used a medley of pottery, glass, and shells to make designs throughout the complex. The towers survived multiple earthquakes (and riots), and are reported to be exceptionally strong and durable, to the point that architects have made detailed studies of them. Tours are only given a few days a week, and while it's possible to view the structure for free from the street, I highly recommend the 30-minute, $7 tours since they allow you to see the level of detail close up. Let me reassure those of you who might be thinking, "WATTS? NO FRIGGIN' WAY I'M GOING TO WATTS!" that the area immediately around the structure is perfectly safe. There's ample parking right outside the structure, so you can keep an eye on your car, too. I will admit that the drive from the freeway exit to the towers is fairly eye-opening, however.

The empty lot in the foreground is the site of Simon Rodia's home, which burnt down in the 1950s.

Rodia used several types of soda bottles, but entirely avoided Coke bottles. He preferred 7-Up for its color.

By the way, you aren't allowed to touch anything.

The curators believe that Rodia had a ship theme throughout the complex, and that the towers themselves could be modeled after the masts of a boat.

The tour guide points out the ship idea to my fellow tourists.

My brother-in-law uses one of the original "doors" to the complex.

To get this design, Rodia used sprinkler heads. Pretty ingenious.

If I recall correctly, this is volcanic rock that Rodia acquired from Arizona. He was nothing if not resourceful, using most of his non-work waking hours to add to the towers.

Note the perimeter fence, which is why I recommend actually purchasing a tour ticket.

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About Me

I'm a Bay Area native with a love-hate relationship towards my homeland... so I try to get out as much as I can, so that I eventually come to miss it! Oh, and I'm the teacher of some of the best kids in the world.